In Past Show

About José Gurvich

José Gurvich once said, “My intention is free creative play…where the freedom of the image and the freedom of the space emerge, generating a spontaneity without rational considerations that will stop me from speculating.” Though his late work has been compared to that of Marc Chagall, his early style was heavily influenced by Joaquin Torres-Garcia, developed while attending the art school Taller Torres-Garcia; these early works were grid-based with flat planes of color in primary colors or black and white. His mature style became increasingly dynamic, favoring spiral compositions with fantastical imagery, symbols, and sometimes text. The son of refugees seeking religious shelter, Gurvich had a preoccupation with finding his Jewish identity, made manifest in his works through the visual reference to Jewish traditions and imagery.